In the name of keeping things as competitive for me and (hopefully) interesting for you guys and gals following along as possible, I'll be incorporating a new rule into this save, effective immediately.
For the 1960 season and beyond, only 3 players (with a minimum of either 1 hitter or 1 pitcher) will be permitted at any one time on our Active Roster who weren’t at one time part of the Pittsburgh franchise IRL.
Obviously this cannot be feasibly effected overnight, but in order for it to happen in a timely manner, at least two ineligible players must be moved on per season until it has. At the same time, only eligible players can be added to our squad until there is room under this new 3-player rule. We can draft or acquire ineligible players on minor league deals but cannot promote them to the AR until a spot is freed up. Players already on our books can be promoted along the way regardless of eligibility provided the other overarching rules are being adhered to or worked toward.
To help facilitate this process and enable us to manage our roster effectively under what are now some pretty tricky and incredibly limiting guidelines, I am increasing the number of trades we are permitted each year from 2 to 3. Our Free-Agent signing limit remains at one per season.
There's a fair chance some more tinkering will be needed to get the mix right, but this also means our playing group will much more closely resemble the historical, which is something I'm looking forward to.
At the end of 1959, the following players on our Active Roster are members of what I'll be terming the Cutlass Club (CCs for short), in other words eligible players under this new rule:
- 2B Bill Mazeroski (Legacy)
- SS Dick Groat (Legacy)
- OF Roberto Clemente (Marquee)
- P Bob Friend (Legacy)
- P Vern Law (Legacy)
- P Roy Face (Legacy)
- P Don Gross (1958-60)
- P Bob Purkey (1954-57, 1966)
That leaves 20 ineligible players currently on our Active Roster and I'm giving us a 5-year window to have wrung the necessary changes.
G